Come and join us for Finsbury Park’s very own choir. It’s new, it’s free and it’s on Wednesdays. We welcome everyone regardless of ability or age – we just want to get together and have a good sing-song!
• Do you live or work near N4 and Finsbury Park Station?
• Have you been told that you have a good voice?
• Have you been told you haven’t got a good voice?
• Do you want to feel reinvigorated at the end of stressful Wednesday?
• Do you like singing in the bath?
5.30pm – 6.30pm Wednesdays (Nov 4, 11, 18, 26, Dec 2, 9, 16). Come to the main gate and ask for Debbie. Rehearsals will take place in the Lower Hall at Pooles Park School, Lennox Road, Finsbury Park N4 3NW. For more details go to www.musicplatform.co.uk
Comments
Most of the people at the first practice couldn't read music so word sheets are available. There's lots more information on the Music Platform website.
Cjg, I don't think it matters if you can't commit to every week, it seems to be very informal and no one has allocated parts so it shouldn't make a huge difference if you can't make every session.
Will try and find time to tell you more about it later, or tomorrow.
It reminded me because I sang in Handel's Messiah (including the Hallelujah Chorus) when I was about 12, and I remember it being quite fun.
Why not give it a try? There were about 20+ there last week, and I know 2-3 other friends are interested. Mark and his 3 assistants are lovely, and nothing has been very difficult, so far. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town; a simple little 3-parter from The Magic Flute; another Xmas song; and we started with a kid's round, of the Tony Chestnut type.
As much as anything, I like the community aspect of it. Music Platform is the name of the organisation that organises things, and they are based at Poole's Park School, just off Fonthill Road. They do lots in school as well, and for starters the choir will be joining in with an informal event at the Union Chapel, at 6, on Monday 14/12, I think.
All for now.
See you there!
Mike.
www.musicplatform.co.uk.
...if you want to know more.
As for adults, I can't tell you the number of times they tell me they are tone deaf. Tone deafness is in fact rarer than colour blindness. Many people have been traumatised by cruel, stupid music teachers, who in the past would put droners in the back row, and tell them to mime, instead of offering them help. Most of the 'tone deaf' I come across turn out to be just fine, if I can persuade them to sing a note or two to me. They have been spooked by what music education used to be , in most schools. Either that, or they had none at all.
Did you hear the Today programme on R4 this morning? There was a discussion about the health-giving properties of singing, which is as effective as going to the gym - and more fun, imo. A lot of research has been done by the Voices Foundation and the London Institute of Education. Try googling, if you'd like to know more.
http://www.the17.org/
and that was quite moving.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/jul/25/billdrummond
As for performances, Miss Annie: we haven't been going very long, so I imagine concerts/performances will be for the future. Will certainly let you all know if we get that far - not that it's up to me - I'm only the piano-player!